What Is Health?

“Natural forces within us are the true healers of disease. “

Hippocrates

What Is Health?

This isn’t actually an often asked question, but this is a basic understanding that I believe some people need to rework in their mind, as to better their lives. When we consider what health is, we need to consider the common understanding.

If we ask a medical professional, a majority would state that health is the absence of disease. After all, we hear the term used so often in this way. So, if you’re in shape and you don’t have a medical condition, you’re considered ‘healthy.’

The same person who could be defined as healthy one day, could be diagnosed with cancer the next day – then he’s no longer healthy.

So, is a healthy person someone who isn’t in the process of disease?

That’s a closer definition. Anyone who is free of disease and the progression of illness could be called healthy. But that’s not it.

We could view being absent of disease as Stage I Health. Stage I Health is a great place to be, and millions of people are actively seeking a way to achieve it. That’s a good thing, but it’s missing the whole goal.

Stage II Health is the next step. Now you’re free from the process of disease, neither having one nor developing one. This is a great place to be, clearly. We achieve this through lifestyle and diet, and some people through preventative medicines. But, there’s a step further… and it’s my definition of healthy.

Stage III Health is the optimal place to be. In this stage, you don’t have a disease and you aren’t developing any disease.

In addition, you’ve bolstered your health to the extent that your body and mind have become stronger and more resilient. You have a strong immune system, not getting ‘seasonal’ illnesses or the stomach bug that’s going around. You have a fast metabolism. You have expedient recovery time. You have a high pain tolerance. You don’t feel stressed or depressed. You aren’t obese, and your muscles and cardiovascular system are enduring.

This is a type of health that much fewer of the ‘healthy’ population get to experience in their lives. But once you hit this point, you’ll never want to feel otherwise. Even falling back to Stage II Health feels like a loss of progression to your well-being.

Reaching Stage III Health is the optimal goal for anyone, whether they know it or not. When you’re as healthy as can be, every experience is enjoyed to its full extent, and you feel a sense of freedom from disease in your life. The only place to go from here is to spread your knowledge of health to others.

So, I hope you’ve gleaned a little understanding into the concept of health and wellness. It’s one of the most important things to realize if you wish to be free of the disease cycle.

I know many people in Stage I who would be happy just to be considered averagely ‘healthy’ and be free of their current ailments. That’s a perfectly suitable goal in the meantime, and I wish anyone in that position all the luck in the world to help themselves out of that place. But never forget that preventative medicines (both physical and mental) are our best tools once we reach that point.

There’s no point to freeing yourself from one disease only to develop another.

If you have an opinion on this (fairly philosophical) post, let us know in the comments! We’d be glad to hear your viewpoint!